Molecular Glue Degraders of the RNA Binding Protein HuR to Treat BRAF-Mutant Colorectal Cancer
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
ORGANISM(S): Homo Sapiens
SUBMITTER: 
Yong Cang
PROVIDER: PXD072281 | iProX | Sun Dec 21 00:00:00 GMT 2025
REPOSITORIES: iProX
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Project description:Background: BRAF activating mutations occur in approximately 10% of metastatic colorectal cancer (CRCs) and are associated with worse prognosis in part due to an inferior response to standard chemotherapy. Standard of care for patients with refractory metastatic BRAFV600E CRC is treatment with BRAF and EGFR inhibitors and recent FDA approval was given to use these inhibitors in combination with chemotherapy for patients with treatment naïve metastatic BRAFV600E CRC. Lineage plasticity to neuroendocrine cancer is an emerging mechanism of targeted therapy resistance in several cancer types. Enteroendocrine cells (EECs), the neuroendocrine cell of the intestine, are uniquely present in BRAFV600E CRC as compared to BRAF wildtype CRC. Methods: BRAF plus EGFR inhibitor treatment induced changes in cell composition were determined by gene expression, imaging and single cell approaches in multiple models of BRAF mutant CRC. Furthermore, multiple clinically relevant inhibitors of the lysine demethylase LSD1 were tested to determine which inhibitor blocked the changes in cell composition. Results: Combined BRAF and EGFR inhibition enriched for EECs in all BRAF mutant CRC models tested. Additionally, EECs and other secretory cell types were enriched in a subset of BRAFV600E CRC patient samples following targeted therapy. Importantly, inhibition of LSD1 with a clinically relevant inhibitor attenuated targeted therapy-induced EEC enrichment through blocking the interaction of LSD1, CoREST2 and STAT3. Conclusions: Our findings that BRAF plus EGFR inhibition induces lineage plasticity in BRAFV600E CRC represents a new paradigm for how resistance to BRAF plus EGFR inhibition occurs. Additionally, our finding that LSD1 inhibition blocks lineage plasticity has the potential to improve responses to BRAF plus EGFR inhibitor therapy in patients.
2025-04-30 | GSE290028 | GEO
Project description:The colorectal epithelium is a rapidly renewing tissue, with a remarkable capacity to regenerate following injury. In colorectal cancer (CRC), this regenerative capacity can be co-opted to drive epithelial plasticity. Activation of oncogenic MAPK signalling in CRC is common, with mutations frequently found in both KRAS (40-50%) and BRAF (10%), alongside other mechanisms of EGFR pathway upregulation. Nonetheless, inhibition of this pathway is often linked to rapid therapeutic resistance in patients. Given the recent development of KRAS inhibitors and the licensing of BRAF+EGFR inhibitor combinations we have investigated mechanisms of resistance to these agents in complex mouse models of CRC. Here we show that MAPK signalling supports the regenerative/revival stem cell phenotype in vivo, while its inhibition leads to rapid remodelling of both Kras and Braf mutant mouse models to a high Wnt activity canonical stem cell phenotype marked by expression of Lgr5. This results in acute therapeutic resistance in Kras driven, and delayed resistance in Braf driven models. Importantly, where therapeutic MAPK targeting is applied in the presence of a single regenerative epithelial population, such as early metastatic disease, or where plasticity is restrained, for example through Wnt pathway restriction, a marked impact on tumourigenesis is observed. Modelling of an BRAF and RNF43-mutant patient population, clinically super-responders to BRAF/EGFR inhibitor therapy, demonstrates excellent response to therapy due to restricted epithelial plasticity, highlighting the criticality of cellular plasticity in therapeutic response. Together, our data provide clear insight into the mechanisms underpinning resistance to targeting oncogenic MAPK signalling in CRC. Moreover, we demonstrate that strategies that aim to restrict epithelial plasticity or corral into or intervene when tumours are in a regenerative cell fate may improve efficacy of MAPK targeting agents in CRC.
2025-09-19 | GSE308130 | GEO
Project description:The colorectal epithelium is a rapidly renewing tissue, with a remarkable capacity to regenerate following injury. In colorectal cancer (CRC), this regenerative capacity can be co-opted to drive epithelial plasticity. Activation of oncogenic MAPK signalling in CRC is common, with mutations frequently found in both KRAS (40-50%) and BRAF (10%), alongside other mechanisms of EGFR pathway upregulation. Nonetheless, inhibition of this pathway is often linked to rapid therapeutic resistance in patients. Given the recent development of KRAS inhibitors and the licensing of BRAF+EGFR inhibitor combinations we have investigated mechanisms of resistance to these agents in complex mouse models of CRC. Here we show that MAPK signalling supports the regenerative/revival stem cell phenotype in vivo, while its inhibition leads to rapid remodelling of both Kras and Braf mutant mouse models to a high Wnt activity canonical stem cell phenotype marked by expression of Lgr5. This results in acute therapeutic resistance in Kras driven, and delayed resistance in Braf driven models. Importantly, where therapeutic MAPK targeting is applied in the presence of a single regenerative epithelial population, such as early metastatic disease, or where plasticity is restrained, for example through Wnt pathway restriction, a marked impact on tumourigenesis is observed. Modelling of an BRAF and RNF43-mutant patient population, clinically super-responders to BRAF/EGFR inhibitor therapy, demonstrates excellent response to therapy due to restricted epithelial plasticity, highlighting the criticality of cellular plasticity in therapeutic response. Together, our data provide clear insight into the mechanisms underpinning resistance to targeting oncogenic MAPK signalling in CRC. Moreover, we demonstrate that strategies that aim to restrict epithelial plasticity or corral into or intervene when tumours are in a regenerative cell fate may improve efficacy of MAPK targeting agents in CRC.
2025-09-16 | GSE307773 | GEO
Project description:The colorectal epithelium is a rapidly renewing tissue, with a remarkable capacity to regenerate following injury. In colorectal cancer (CRC), this regenerative capacity can be co-opted to drive epithelial plasticity. Activation of oncogenic MAPK signalling in CRC is common, with mutations frequently found in both KRAS (40-50%) and BRAF (10%), alongside other mechanisms of EGFR pathway upregulation. Nonetheless, inhibition of this pathway is often linked to rapid therapeutic resistance in patients. Given the recent development of KRAS inhibitors and the licensing of BRAF+EGFR inhibitor combinations we have investigated mechanisms of resistance to these agents in complex mouse models of CRC. Here we show that MAPK signalling supports the regenerative/revival stem cell phenotype in vivo, while its inhibition leads to rapid remodelling of both Kras and Braf mutant mouse models to a high Wnt activity canonical stem cell phenotype marked by expression of Lgr5. This results in acute therapeutic resistance in Kras driven, and delayed resistance in Braf driven models. Importantly, where therapeutic MAPK targeting is applied in the presence of a single regenerative epithelial population, such as early metastatic disease, or where plasticity is restrained, for example through Wnt pathway restriction, a marked impact on tumourigenesis is observed. Modelling of an BRAF and RNF43-mutant patient population, clinically super-responders to BRAF/EGFR inhibitor therapy, demonstrates excellent response to therapy due to restricted epithelial plasticity, highlighting the criticality of cellular plasticity in therapeutic response. Together, our data provide clear insight into the mechanisms underpinning resistance to targeting oncogenic MAPK signalling in CRC. Moreover, we demonstrate that strategies that aim to restrict epithelial plasticity or corral into or intervene when tumours are in a regenerative cell fate may improve efficacy of MAPK targeting agents in CRC.
2025-09-16 | GSE307774 | GEO
Project description:The colorectal epithelium is a rapidly renewing tissue, with a remarkable capacity to regenerate following injury. In colorectal cancer (CRC), this regenerative capacity can be co-opted to drive epithelial plasticity. Activation of oncogenic MAPK signalling in CRC is common, with mutations frequently found in both KRAS (40-50%) and BRAF (10%), alongside other mechanisms of EGFR pathway upregulation. Nonetheless, inhibition of this pathway is often linked to rapid therapeutic resistance in patients. Given the recent development of KRAS inhibitors and the licensing of BRAF+EGFR inhibitor combinations we have investigated mechanisms of resistance to these agents in complex mouse models of CRC. Here we show that MAPK signalling supports the regenerative/revival stem cell phenotype in vivo, while its inhibition leads to rapid remodelling of both Kras and Braf mutant mouse models to a high Wnt activity canonical stem cell phenotype marked by expression of Lgr5. This results in acute therapeutic resistance in Kras driven, and delayed resistance in Braf driven models. Importantly, where therapeutic MAPK targeting is applied in the presence of a single regenerative epithelial population, such as early metastatic disease, or where plasticity is restrained, for example through Wnt pathway restriction, a marked impact on tumourigenesis is observed. Modelling of an BRAF and RNF43-mutant patient population, clinically super-responders to BRAF/EGFR inhibitor therapy, demonstrates excellent response to therapy due to restricted epithelial plasticity, highlighting the criticality of cellular plasticity in therapeutic response. Together, our data provide clear insight into the mechanisms underpinning resistance to targeting oncogenic MAPK signalling in CRC. Moreover, we demonstrate that strategies that aim to restrict epithelial plasticity or corral into or intervene when tumours are in a regenerative cell fate may improve efficacy of MAPK targeting agents in CRC.
2025-09-19 | GSE308133 | GEO
Project description:The colorectal epithelium is a rapidly renewing tissue, with a remarkable capacity to regenerate following injury. In colorectal cancer (CRC), this regenerative capacity can be co-opted to drive epithelial plasticity. Activation of oncogenic MAPK signalling in CRC is common, with mutations frequently found in both KRAS (40-50%) and BRAF (10%), alongside other mechanisms of EGFR pathway upregulation. Nonetheless, inhibition of this pathway is often linked to rapid therapeutic resistance in patients. Given the recent development of KRAS inhibitors and the licensing of BRAF+EGFR inhibitor combinations we have investigated mechanisms of resistance to these agents in complex mouse models of CRC. Here we show that MAPK signalling supports the regenerative/revival stem cell phenotype in vivo, while its inhibition leads to rapid remodelling of both Kras and Braf mutant mouse models to a high Wnt activity canonical stem cell phenotype marked by expression of Lgr5. This results in acute therapeutic resistance in Kras driven, and delayed resistance in Braf driven models. Importantly, where therapeutic MAPK targeting is applied in the presence of a single regenerative epithelial population, such as early metastatic disease, or where plasticity is restrained, for example through Wnt pathway restriction, a marked impact on tumourigenesis is observed. Modelling of an BRAF and RNF43-mutant patient population, clinically super-responders to BRAF/EGFR inhibitor therapy, demonstrates excellent response to therapy due to restricted epithelial plasticity, highlighting the criticality of cellular plasticity in therapeutic response. Together, our data provide clear insight into the mechanisms underpinning resistance to targeting oncogenic MAPK signalling in CRC. Moreover, we demonstrate that strategies that aim to restrict epithelial plasticity or corral into or intervene when tumours are in a regenerative cell fate may improve efficacy of MAPK targeting agents in CRC.
2025-09-19 | GSE308125 | GEO
Project description:The colorectal epithelium is a rapidly renewing tissue, with a remarkable capacity to regenerate following injury. In colorectal cancer (CRC), this regenerative capacity can be co-opted to drive epithelial plasticity. Activation of oncogenic MAPK signalling in CRC is common, with mutations frequently found in both KRAS (40-50%) and BRAF (10%), alongside other mechanisms of EGFR pathway upregulation. Nonetheless, inhibition of this pathway is often linked to rapid therapeutic resistance in patients. Given the recent development of KRAS inhibitors and the licensing of BRAF+EGFR inhibitor combinations we have investigated mechanisms of resistance to these agents in complex mouse models of CRC. Here we show that MAPK signalling supports the regenerative/revival stem cell phenotype in vivo, while its inhibition leads to rapid remodelling of both Kras and Braf mutant mouse models to a high Wnt activity canonical stem cell phenotype marked by expression of Lgr5. This results in acute therapeutic resistance in Kras driven, and delayed resistance in Braf driven models. Importantly, where therapeutic MAPK targeting is applied in the presence of a single regenerative epithelial population, such as early metastatic disease, or where plasticity is restrained, for example through Wnt pathway restriction, a marked impact on tumourigenesis is observed. Modelling of an BRAF and RNF43-mutant patient population, clinically super-responders to BRAF/EGFR inhibitor therapy, demonstrates excellent response to therapy due to restricted epithelial plasticity, highlighting the criticality of cellular plasticity in therapeutic response. Together, our data provide clear insight into the mechanisms underpinning resistance to targeting oncogenic MAPK signalling in CRC. Moreover, we demonstrate that strategies that aim to restrict epithelial plasticity or corral into or intervene when tumours are in a regenerative cell fate may improve efficacy of MAPK targeting agents in CRC.
2025-09-19 | GSE308102 | GEO
Project description:Patients with BRAF-mutated colorectal cancer (BRAFV600E CRC) are currently treated by a combination of BRAF inhibitor and anti-EGFR antibody with or without MEK inhibitor. A fundamental problem in treating patients with BRAFV600E CRC is intrinsic and/or acquired resistance to this combination therapy. By screening 78 compounds, we identified tretinoin, a retinoid, as a compound that synergistically enhances the antiproliferative effect of a combination of BRAF inhibition and MEK inhibition with or without EGFR inhibition on BRAFV600E CRC cells. This synergistic effect was also exerted by other retinoids. Tretinoin, added to BRAF inhibitor and MEK inhibitor, upregulated PARP, BAK, and p-H2AX. When either RARα or RXRα was silenced, the increase in cleaved PARP expression by the addition of TRE to ENC/BIN or ENC/BIN/CET was canceled. Our results suggest that the mechanism of the synergistic antiproliferative effect involves modulation of the Bcl-2 family and the DNA damage response that affects apoptotic pathways, and this synergistic effect is induced by RARα- or RXRα-mediated apoptosis. Tretinoin also enhanced the antitumor effect of a combination of BRAF inhibitor and anti-EGFR antibody with or without MEK inhibitor in a BRAFV600E CRC xenograft mouse model. Our data provide a rationale for developing retinoids as a new combination agent to overcome resistance to the combination therapy for patients with BRAFV600E CRC.
2024-11-06 | GSE269881 | GEO
Project description:Patients with BRAF-mutated colorectal cancer (BRAFV600E CRC) are currently treated by a combination of BRAF inhibitor and anti-EGFR antibody with or without MEK inhibitor. A fundamental problem in treating patients with BRAFV600E CRC is intrinsic and/or acquired resistance to this combination therapy. By screening 78 compounds, we identified tretinoin, a retinoid, as a compound that synergistically enhances the antiproliferative effect of a combination of BRAF inhibition and MEK inhibition with or without EGFR inhibition on BRAFV600E CRC cells. This synergistic effect was also exerted by other retinoids. Tretinoin, added to BRAF inhibitor and MEK inhibitor, upregulated PARP, BAK, and p-H2AX. When either RARα or RXRα was silenced, the increase in cleaved PARP expression by the addition of TRE to ENC/BIN or ENC/BIN/CET was canceled. Our results suggest that the mechanism of the synergistic antiproliferative effect involves modulation of the Bcl-2 family and the DNA damage response that affects apoptotic pathways, and this synergistic effect is induced by RARα- or RXRα-mediated apoptosis. Tretinoin also enhanced the antitumor effect of a combination of BRAF inhibitor and anti-EGFR antibody with or without MEK inhibitor in a BRAFV600E CRC xenograft mouse model. Our data provide a rationale for developing retinoids as a new combination agent to overcome resistance to the combination therapy for patients with BRAFV600E CRC.
2024-11-06 | GSE269880 | GEO
Project description:This model provides a thermodynamically consistent description of the action of MEK, RAF and panRAF inhibitors on EGFR and ERK signaling in BRAF mutant cancers.
2022-12-30 | MODEL2207130001 | BioModels